


Peace will come when one of us puts down the gun

by takethatandlove



Category: Take That
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 08:40:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10081817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takethatandlove/pseuds/takethatandlove
Summary: Gary and Mark are having relationship troubles and are scared they can't work stuff out, Howard gives good advice.





	1. I'm feeling your frustration

**Author's Note:**

> Yay a badly written Barlowen story that's also cute. Kinda just written while I was sad and thought I might as well post it.

The four boys stumbled into Gary's hotel room and collapsed in various places. Gary was lagging behind, sulking about not being able to go and see his favourite musical because he had his own show.

Gary entered the room and looked around, Howard was sprawled out on the bed, Gary laughed at his sleeping friend before casting his eyes to see Robbie in the chair and Jason curled on the sofa with... Mark."

Something built up in Gary, perhaps rage or maybe Jealousy. He walked over to where Mark was lying and reached to take his hand.

"Gary?" A voice called suddenly. Howard had looked up at an awkward time. "What are you doing? Let the man sleep."

"I need to speak to him." Gary huffs

"Are you okay?" Howard enquires

"Yes." Gary hisses

"Right, outside." Howard quickly jumps up and drags Gary outside to the balcony.

"Talk to me, go." 

"It's Mark!" Gary groans "he's in there cuddling with Jason, don't you see it?" 

"Yeah, so? Why do you care?"

"Because -"

"Oh my god, you two are shagging!" Howard laughs "that explains a lot I'll be honest but you just confirmed my thoughts, Gaz. Now I get why you're so riled up, also explains why I never see you with a bird these days. How long have you two been doing it?"

"Dougie! We're not just shagging, we're... properly together, for about a year now. I'm kind of happy you figured it out, saves me having to embarrass myself trying to tell you." Gary chuckles 

"Christ, you hid that well. I only noticed last month. But seriously Gaz, you don't need to worry and Jason and Mark. I know you'll say you do but the best thing is to tell Mark how you feel, don't get angry, keep your cool and just communicate." Howard smiles

"That's good advice coming from someone like you How'. Didn't expect it really."

"I can be helpful when I wanna be." Howard laughs

"So not often then." Gary smirks

Howard smacks him lightly on the arm "look, why don't I go wake Mark and tell him you want to talk, I'll take Jason to his room."

"That's great mate, I don't know how this will end up. Part of me thinks we could really break up, we've been fighting for weeks now and I don't know how much more I can take."

Howard pulls his bandmate into a hug 

"Don't give up, it's worth it."

Howard walks inside and Gary faces the New York scenery before him, dreading what may come next.


	2. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Gary talk, and don't leave with no regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Mark shouts

"I don't know, maybe give me a reason? Why the hell were you cuddled up to Jason like that?" Gary shouts back

Mark and Gary had been fighting for ten minutes out on the balcony, five if you don't count Gary ignoring him out of pettiness. Howard would be mad if he knew Gary lost his cool so quickly.

"We were sleeping! In case it's slipped your mind, Mr Barlow, we've just done a show so excuse me if I collapse on the sofa and fall asleep and Jay has the same idea!" 

Gary scoffs "no, no, I've seen the looks you give him! This is something more, Mark. Are you sleeping with him?"

Mark stares at Gary with wide eyes "No! What the hell would make you think that? Jason is like a brother to me, Gary!"

"What, like I was up until a year ago?" Gary laughs "that's not going to make me feel better." 

"What do you want from me?" Mark shouts again "Gary, if you don't trust me then maybe we shouldn't be together at all!" 

He regrets that as soon as he says it

"Oh, Christ, Gaz, I didn't -"

"Save it, Mark." Gary says softly, something has changed in him. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have accused you of sleeping with Jay but - Mark, look at us. We're fighting like this every other day."

"Where are you going with this?" Mark looks at him with concern 

"Are you happy?" Gary asks "truly."

Mark opens his mouth and closes it again quickly. "I was."

And that's the sentence that hits Gary's heart like a bullet.

"And now?"

"Something's changed, Gary. From the looks of it, you've noticed it too. I don't know where it all went wrong but lately- hell, I don't even know. Are you happy?" Mark looks him in the eye

"I was."

"Do you think there's a chance we can save it?"

"Mark, I think we've been trying to save it for a long time. Have you ever heard that saying 'peace will come when one of us puts down the gun'?" 

Mark shakes his head "No but that's good. I think I understand it, too. Gary... maybe it's time we accepted that we just aren't what we used to be, maybe it's time we- we broke up." 

"Yeah." Gary sighs "you're right."

"You know I love you, though, right?"

"Of course, Mark. I love you too. Just because this relationship hasn't worked out doesn't mean our love is dead, we fell in love for a reason and I will never forget that reason." Gary laughs

"Oh yeah? Wanna share with me?" Mark chuckles 

"You have a great arse." 

Mark smacks Gary's arm lightly "Oi! True but seriously, why did you fall in love with me?"

"You're just the most amazing person i've ever met! I could talk about you for hours, your smile, your laugh, your 3am dance parties, the endless amount of Disney movies you make me sit through, I can still remember the day I realised. I think it was one day in the studio back in '93. We were recording and sat pratting about, the other boys were about to leave when they saw you asleep on the sofa. I said I'd stay and wait for you to wake up, that I wanted to work on some stuff anyway. Some time passed and I found myself looking over at you a lot and smiling, you looked so peaceful and happy and seeing it just made my heart flutter. Then after a while before I woke you up, I looked over again and whispered "god, I love you." I'll be honest, I freaked myself out. I thought I'd cocked it right up before I remembered you were asleep and then I had a good 6 hour talk with myself about what I was feeling, turns out I'd forgotten to let myself know I had feelings for you since 2 weeks after we met." Gary laughs 

"That's funny, I always thought I heard you say that, convinced myself it was a dream." Mark laughs "you know, I had feelings for you since the day we met. I remember walking in and thinking "Christ, I would." "

Gary smacks Mark's arm back "Oi! Seriously?"

"Yep, had a good 8 hour talk with myself after." 

"How'd that go?"

"Kind of like "do you like that guy? Yes. Okay, let's think about him for 8 hours."" Mark laughs again 

"See, this is good. We haven't lost our love, I know that saying feels like it applies to us but maybe we could save this relationship, maybe we don't need to break up, if you think it's worth saving?"

"Everything is worth saving, Gary. Even if it doesn't work in the end, you can say you tried." Mark smiles

"That's some good philosophy, Marko. I think we need to make a list of everything we feel is wrong, we might've been trying to save this for a long time but maybe we were going about it the wrong way. We didn't talk, we just kept our feelings hidden out of fear and I'm not scared anymore." Gary smiles 

"Me neither. Let's give it a go, if it doesn't work then it doesn't work but I'm not gonna give up on us without a fight."

"You know, five minutes ago we were fighting. How did it come to this? We turned it around pretty quick."

"It takes you threatening to leave to make me realise what needs to be done."

"I didn't threaten, Gary."

"Yeah but you know what I mean." Gary says 

"Yeah." Mark gives him a peck on the lips "I do."

Gary wraps his arm around Mark's waist and they watch the city in front of them bustle with evening life.

"This really is the city that never sleep." Mark sighs


End file.
